Shawntelle Madison’s novella, Bitten by Deceit, is a fun and well written story about a werewolf who reaches out to her estranged mate when things go wrong with her pack. This is a great tale that fits my criteria of a strong female character who never gives up. This is a creative mix of love conquers all with a little werewolf-zombie hybrid going on. Oh, what’s not to love? A note of caution, there were a few syntax issues later in the book, and the ending could have been slightly more thoroughly developed. All in all, I really liked the characters and was left wanting more.

Author Kelley Armstrong delivers a winning cast of characters in this series, including werewolves, vampires, witches, warlocks, and demons. In each volume, we meet a new woman with steel determination and a heart of gold. In the first 2 books, Armstrong develops here world with a werewolf named Elena. The following characters are introduces and then spin off into each successive book, as characters that conflict learn that they must work together, and love takes hold in the most unlikely places.

This series is one of my favorite. The reader is fully engaged on multiple fronts: 1. the battle between good (the vampires!) and evil (their undead slayers); 2. the protection of innocent bystanders; 3. the characters’ growth and struggle with their own inner demons; and 4. blossoming love. The best part of these books is that the J.R. Ward ha written strength into all her characters, both male and female. I also note that the characters know when to laugh as well. There are a few places where the author uses a certain term more often than necessary, but that is easily overlooked. Grab a glass of Lambrusco, find a nice cozy niche by the fireplace, and plan to sit for a while. You won’t want to put this one down.

This next recommendation comes to us from New York Times Bestselling Author Gena Showalter. Her Lords of the Underworld series feature an unlikely bunch of roguish males, who silently suffer the gods’ punishment for unleashing the contents of Pandora’s box on humanity. Each immortal “lord” is punished to carry one unleashed demon imprisoned within his body, suffering its vices and living forever separate from humanity. What happens when you throw a beautiful young woman with a special “gift” haunting her into the mix? I won’t tell.

Midnight Breed is a series about, you guessed it, Vampires, by New York Times BestsellerLara Adrian. In this series, vampires actually originate from an alien species and are only male. The series revolves around a group of Breed Warriors. These warriors are dedicated to the task of wiping out vampires gone rogue to blood-lust. Woven into each novel is the story of how one Breed Warrior meets and falls madly in love, sometimes against his own machinations, with a Breed Mate: a rare human women with the correct genetic makeup to procreate with a vampire male. For added fun, each Breed Mate often has her own unique paranormal gift that unfolds throughout the story.

The Maker’s Song series mixes urban, punk, goth and paranormal genres. Who can resist a story about a half vampire, half-fallen youth with the potentials if a God? The hero, Agent Heather Wallace, gets an A+ for her kick-butt, strength of character and her heart!

I’ve been deliberating for a while now about the next book to add to my list of must reads. In all honesty, it’s a tough call. This next series is a little different for my female paranormal junkies out there. The main character fits all of my criteria and yet, she’s a little bit other. D. D. Barant’s first book, Dying Bites, introduces us to a young FBI profiler named Jace Valcheck. Jace is a tough, no nonsense women used to playing with the big boys. Jace’s reality is torn asunder when she is ripped from her universe where people are human and the laws of physics are necessary into an alternate realm where humans are all but extinct.

My warning to female readers: This is not chick lit. This is a series that a guy could easily get involved in. While there are a few touchy-feely, romantic interludes, the book is equal parts mystery, humor, adventure, and science fiction. Each book tends to add a new and interesting twist on your understanding of the occult. The first book is OK, but they definitely get better as the characters develop throughout the series. There are currently 5 books written.

Carrie Vaughn‘s hero would fit my criteria to a T. She is a woman with a backbone and a heart. The protagonist, Kitty Norville, is a closet werewolf that decides to run a tongue-in cheek late-night radio show about the occult. This is a great series for anyone that enjoys the writings of Laurel K. Hamilton or Kim Harrison. I have but one complaint; the titles of each book are beyond ghastly:

The first time I bought a Carrie Vaughn book, I hid it in a pile of other books so no one would see the title. Thank God for ereaders! So, I add this caveat, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don’t judge a book by it’s title!

Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (or Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman) deliver with this outrageous book about the apocalypse. What happens if the Anti-Christ gets misplaced, is raised by the wrong parents, and the angel and demon meant to bring about the end of days decide they actually like living on Earth? This is a tale guaranteed to keep you rolling your eyes, roaring in laughter and turning pages. After all, nobody’s perfect!